Apparatus for gassing yarn or thread.



J. B. BOLTON'.

APPARATUS PGB. `GASSINGY'ARN OB THREAD.

APPLICATION FILED 113.2, 1910.

` Patented Aug. 15, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. B. BOLTON.

APPARATUS Pon GAssING YARN on THREAD.

APPLICATION FILED PERB, 1010. I

Patented Aug. 15, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH CIT-.WASHINGTON D l! J. lap-BOLTON.

APPARATUS FOR GASSING YARN 0R THREAD.

.APPLICATION FILED FEB.2, 1910.

1,000,770. 0 I Patented Aug. 15,1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3f J. B. BOLTON. APPARATUS FOR GASSING YARN 0R THREAD.

APPLICATION FILED PERB, 1910.

Patented Aug. 15, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

CDLUM'BIA PLANOORAPH C0.,WASHINUTDN D c earns ai' JOHN B. BOLTON, OFMETHEN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO POSTER MACHINE COMPANY, OF WESTFIELD,MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION 0F MAINE.

APPARATUS FOR GASSING- YARN OR THREAD.

nooo'rc.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 15, 1911.A

Application filed February 2, 1910. Serial N o. 541,570.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN B. BOLTON, a citizen of the Unit-ed States, andresident of Methuen, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, haveinvented an Improvement in Apparatus for Gassing Yarn or Thread, ofwhich the following description, in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, is a specification, like characters 'on the drawingrepresenting like parts.

This invention relates to apparatus for gassing yarn or thread by meansof a gas flame in order to remove therefrom fine fibers, fluff and thelike. I-Ieretofore this operation has been carried out with individualthreads or yarns, each one being led from a suitable bobbin or spoolthrough guides to another spool, onto which it is wound, and in itstravel from one to the other spool each yarn or thread passes through orin close proximity to a small gas flame.

Inasmuch as each yarn or thread is gassed by itself it will be manifestthat great lack of uniformity in treatment must result, for on a framesustaining` a large number of the individual gassing devices some of theyarns or threads may be over-gassed, others insufficiently gas-sed, andstill others will be properly treated, very slight variations in theflame resulting in wide differences in the condition of the gassed yarn.Not only is the lack of uniformity in the product very objectionable,but the present system is slow, cumbersome and expensive, for each yarnor thread has to be unwound from one spool and wound upon another aftergassing without regard to subsequent operations. The operation is slow,because each frame can treat only a relatively small number' of yarns orthreads, and hence a large number of the frames must be provided wherevthe quantity of yarn to be gassed is considerable, and a large amount offloor space is required to accommodate the frames.

My present invention has for its object the production of means wherebya large number of yarns or threads, several hundred, in fact, may begassed simultaneously and with perfect uniformity, in a rapid andefficient manner and in a relatively small space. To this end the yarns4or threads in the form of a sheet are caused to travel longitudinallyat proper speed and while in motion they are subjected to the action ofa flame, by means of which the individual yarns are gassed properly anduniformly. Inasmuch as the travel of the sheet of yarn or thread(hereinafter sometimes termed the lamentous sheet, for brevity) must bestopped when an end breaks I have made provision for stopping travel ofthe sheet automatically upon such failure of an end, or ends. When thetravel of the sheet is stopped there must be an immediate interruptionof the gassing action, to prevent burning of the yarns or threads, andac- `cordingly I have provided automatic means to render inoperative thegassing instrumentality concurrently with stoppage of travel of thesheet.

I have provided means to control automatically the position ofthegassing instrumentality in the direction of travel of the sheet, toobviate the occurrence of ungassed portions in the filamentous sheetwhen the apparatus is stopped and then started up. The gassinginstrumentality comprehends a burner which provides for a flame, orseries of flames, extended transversely of and adjacent the sheet, whenoperative, and when the apparatus is in motion the burner is located ata certain point.

When the apparatus is stopped the gassing instrumentality is caused tomove bodily in the direction of travel of the sheet, and also far enoughtherefrom to stop the gassing action, as will be explained in detailhereinafter, the longitudinal movement of such instrumentality carryingit forward to such a point that it is ahead of the line of demarcationbeween the ungassed and the gassed portions of the sheet. When theapparatus is started up the gassing instrumentality is moved toward thefilamentous sheet to place the burner at the proper distance therefrom,and it is also moved backward, opposite to the travel of the sheet, toits normal operative position, the gassing beginning as soon as theburner arrives at the proper distance from the sheet. During theretractive movement of the gassing instrumentality the sheet istraveling ahead, but as the gassing begins substantially simultaneouslywith the resumption of travel of the sheet it will be clear that therecannot be any portion of the latter which is not subjected to the actionof the gassi-ng flame. A previously gassed portion of the sheet willagain be subjected to the action of the flame, but that isunobjectionable as the second action of the flame has practically noeffect-on the gassed portion, and the elimination o f ungassed portionsof the sheet is of the greatest importance in securing a uniformproduct- The movements of the gassing instrumentality are controlled andeffected automatically in my present invention, so that a number ofapparatus can be looked after by one attendant, his principal dutiesbeing confined to piecing-up broken ends, starting the apparatus, andregulating the flame of the burner whenever it may be necessary. Awarper collects the ends from several 'hundred spools mounted in acreel, arranges vthe ends in sheet form and eects travel of the samethrough suitable reeds or combs to a beam, upon which the filamentoussheet is wound, or by means of a trumpet the yarns or filamentscomposing the sheet are gathered together in the form of a loose rope orchain which is wound into a socalled ball. Such warpers, which are ofwell known construction, are provided with "stop-motion devices whicheffect automatic:s stoppage in the travel of the sheet upon failure ofan end, and I have in the present instance combined the gassinginstrumentality with a warper, whereby as a matter of fact the warpingand gassing operations are carried on simultaneously, with a greatsaving in time and labor and with a material economy in space.

As will appear hereinafter the gassing instrumentality as a whole isautomatic in its operation, and controlled by or through thestop-motion, so that the only manual operations required are piecing-upand starting after stoppage.`

The various novel features of my invention will be fully described inthe subjoined specification and particularly pointed out in thefollowing claims. I

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a yarn gassing apparatus embodying onepractical embodiment of my present invention, illustrating the gassingmeans in combination with a warper, whereby the warping and gassingoperations are conducted simultaneously, the parts of the apparatusbeing shown in the position maintained while the sheet of yarn or threadis in motion; Fig. 2 is a similar view, but on an enlarged scale andcentrally broken out, of the gassing instrumentality and its carriage,and the carriage-actuating means, but omitting the gas-controllingmeans, certain parts of the warper being shown in section on a verticallongitudinal plane between the usual side- *frames thereof; Fig. 3 is anenlarged top plan view of the gassing instrumentality and Vits carriage,and showing the burner shields in normal, inoperative position; Fig. 4cis a detail in front elevation, on a large vscale,of a portion of thegassing instrumentality, and the means, omitted from Fig. 2,

for Vcontrolling automaticallytherflow of.A gas to'the burner, the viewbeing taken on the line t-t, Fig. 1, looking toward the right; Fig. 5 isa transverse section on the line 5 5, Fig. 3, looking-toward the leftand somewhat enlarged, to show the means for supporting the movableburner shields and also more clearly'illustrating the construction ofthe burner itself;V Fig. 6 is a top planview, enlarged, of the cam bywhich is effected the movement of the burner shields into operativeposition with relation to the burner, said cam being shown in sideelevation in Fig. 2; Fig. 7 is a side elevation, enlarged, of a portionof the opposite side of the .warper shown in Fig. 1, to illustrate themeans by which movement of the carriage is effected automatically in thedirection of travel of the filamentous sheet; Fig. 8 is a frontelevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 7, viewing the latter from theright; Fig. 9 is a detail, to be vreferred to, of one of the standardswith which the front or outer end of the carriage-track or support ispivotally connected; Fig. 10 is a detail Vof the latch-carrier and itsconnection with the carriage of the gassing instrumentality, the latchesbeing shown in Figs. 2 and 5, said latches cooperating intermittinglywith the carriagemoving means, as will be explained; Fig. 11 is aperspective detail of a portion of the device for returning the Vburnershields to inoperative position at the proper time.

In the present embodiment of my invention I have shown a common form ofwarper as the mechanism for collecting the yarns or threads to be gassedand arranging them in the form of a flat sheet, and for effectinglongitudinal travel of the latter, and the gassed yarns or threads areshown. as gathered into a loose rope or chain and wound in cylindricalform technically termed a ployed for effecting longitudinal travel of Ythe filamentous sheet.

Referring to Fig. 1, A represents a creelframe support-ing the spoolsfrom which the individual yarns or threads t are led to the warper,indicated as a whole at B, andV having usual combs or reeds b, b spacedapart a short distance to separate the filaments and form them into afiat sheet T, suitable drop-wires b2, Fig. 2, cooperating with andarresting vibrators b3 when an end fails, z'. e., breaks or runs out,toV effect stoppage automatically of longitudinal travel of theiilamentousisheet T. |The drop-wires and vibrators, rock-shaft b4 havingan Vattached weight b5 and a starting treadle o, the fast and loosepulleys B, B2, Figs. 7 and 8, on shaft BX, the belt--shipper B?yoperated by the arm B4 pivotally connected with the treadle b, and theintervening connections, (not shown) between the vibrators and thestarting and stopping rock-shaft 54 constitute mechanism for stoppingautomatically and starting manually the warper, and may be of any wellknown or usual construction, forming no part of my invention. A, verysimilar structure is shown and described in United States Patent No.624,541 granted May 9, 1399 to Rhoades, it being understood by thoseskilled in the art that upon arrest of a vibrator by a drop-wire theweight b5 descends, turning shaft 254 and through lateral movement ofthe belt-shipper B3 shifting the driving belt, (not shown) from the fastto the loose pulley, to stop the warper, the treadle Z2 at such timebeing elevated. By depressing the elevated treadle the parts arerestored to the ruiming position herein illustrated and thereby power isshifted from the loose to the fast pulley. At some distance in front ofthe reed o-r comb 7), which hereinafter is termed the inner reed, Iprovide an outer reed 5X, the two reeds being some four or six feetapart, more or less, so that a considerable length of the filamentoussheet T lies between the reeds in a substantially horizontal plane, thebase 2 of the outer reed being fixedly mounted on two upright, laterallyseparated standards, 3, 3 which are firmly attached to the Hoor.

As illustrated in Fig. 1 the sheetof yarns or threads passes from theouter reed to and are collected by a guide-eye or trumpet C into a loosechain or rope, indicated at TX, which is carried around a suitablysustained pulley C and thence back to the traversing guide C2 of aso-called balling machine, indicated as a whole at CX, the rope or chainbeing wound thereby into a ball C3, the balling instrumentality inpractice being driven by suitable gearing from the warper.

A combination warper and balling machine is well known in the art, anexample thereof being found in United States Patent No. 336,339 grantedto Clark February 16, 1336, and as the balling machine forms no novelpart of my invention further description thereof is unnecessary.

It will be manifest that the draft on the yarns or threads as the chainTX is wound up by the balling machine will effect longitudinal travel ofthe chain and the filamentous sheet T in the direction of arrows et,Figs. 1 and 2, and such travel is arrested when the warper stops, forthe winding c evice CX stops and starts with stoppage and starting ofthe warper. Should it be desired to wind the sheet onto a beam the sheetof yarns or threads would pass from the outer reed 7)* to a suitablydriven beam, and as it is as common practice to wind the yarns orthreads from a warper upon beams as into balls no further illustrationis believed to be necessary herein.

A track comprising parallel rails, as 5, is mounted below and parallelto the path of the filamentous sheet T, see Figs. 1 and 2, the outer endof each rail being pivotallv connected by an upturned swinging arm 6with a bracket. 7, Fig. 9, on the inner side of each standard 3, arail-stop 3 being fixed on the latter to cooperate with the adjacentrail when the track is lowered to dotted line position, indicated at theleft, Fig. 2. Each rail atits inner end, which extends beneath thevibrators Z13, Fig. 2, is pivotally connected with a swinging arm 9fulcrumed at 10 on a bracket 11, the two brackets, one fo-r each rail,being fixedly mounted on a crossrod 12 of the warper and to braces 13bolted to the floor, the pairs of arms 6 and 9 making a species ofparallel motion for the track, by which it maintains its parallelismwith the sheet T while it is movable from and toward it. Slottedextensions 14 of the arms 9 are pivotally connected by links 15 withrocker-arms 16 fast on the rock-shaft 54 of the stop-motion, and thelinks are shown as made in two parts for ready longitudinal adjustment,the slotted extensions 111 also providing for adjustment of the linkstherewith toward or from the fulcra 10.

Vhen travel of the sheet T is stopped, as by the failure of one of thecomponent yarns or threads, the rock-shaft b4 is turned to swing up therocker-arms 16, and consequently the track will be lowered to dottedline position, Fig. 2. A. reverse movement takes place when the treadleZia is depressed to cause the sheet T to resume its longitudinal travel,and the track is thereby returned to its normal position nearer thefilamentous sheet. Such return movement of the track is assisted byweights 17 connected by flexible members 1S with the inner ends of thetrack rails 5 and traveling over flxedly sustained guide sheaves 19.

The gassing instrumentality is mounted upon the track and movablelongitudinally thereon, such movement being limited by suitable stops20, 21 on the rails, the normal, operative posit-ion of suchinstrumentality being below and close to the filamentous sheet T andnear the inner reed Z9, as shown, in Figs. 1 and 2, but beforedescribing such instrumentality the actuating means for effectingmovement thereof upon the track will be explained. Between the rails 5 aflexible endless belt or actuator 22 is mounted on suitableguide-pulleys 23 adjustably sustained by brackets 24 attached to anddepending from the rails, the upper run of the actuator traveling in apath between and slightly below the tops of the rails, said actuatorhaving attached to it oppositely faced projections 25, 26.

The projections are shaped to present each a straight engaging face anda convex back, and as will appear hereinafter the straight faces of theprojections 25 act only to effectv inward movement of the gassinginstrumentality while the straight faces of the proj eetions 26 act onlyto effect outward movement of such instrumentality, upon the track.

The inner one of the guide-pulleys 23, as herein shown, is driven by asprocket-chain or belt 27, Fig. 2, from a sprocket-wheel 28 fast on atransmitting shaft 29 mounted on the warper frame, the flexible member27 being kept vtaut by a tension-sheave 30 mounted on an arm 3lfulcrumed at 32-and controlled by a spring 33, Fig. 3, the direction ofmovement of the actuator 22 and driving member V27 when the filamentoussheet is in motion being indicated by arrows 34. Transmitting shaft 29is driven in any convenient manner, and herein T have shown it as drivennormally from t-he hub of the fast pulley B, Figs. 7 and 8, by an openbelt 35 engaging a sheave 36 which is made as the loose member of afriction clutch, the other member 37 being fixed on the shaft 29. Theside of the'sheave 36 has a cam portion 38 which is engaged by a roll39, Fig. 8, on a rocker-arm 40 to press the sheave tightly against thefast member 37, to rotate the latter and said shaft 29, whenever thetreadle 6G acts through a link 4l to maintain the roll 39 in itsoperative position.

When travel of the filamentous sheet is arrested the rise of the treadleacts through said link to move the roll 39 off the cam part 38, and theclutch is opened, the sheave 36 ceasing to rotate when the fast pulley Bstops. A second sheave 42 fast on the transmitting shaft 29 at its outerendY is connected by a crossed belt 43 with Vthe hub of the loose pulleyB2 of the warper, and when the power is shifted from the fast to theloose pulley to stop the warper the pulley B2 is started up and throughthe crossed belt 43 reverses the direction of rotation of shaft 29,andby the described connecting means the direction of travel of theendless actuator 22 is reversed. That is, when the filamentous sheet isin motion the upper run of the actuator 22 is moving opposite to thetravel of the sheet and when movement of the latter is arrested themovement of the actuator is reversed and its upper run travels oppositeto the arrow 34, Fig. 2, and when travel of the sheet is resumed themovement of the actuator is again reversed, because at such time thecrossed belt 43 becomes inactive and the clutch 37, 38 is closed, theopen belt 35 becoming active. Such movement of the actuator, in one orthe other direction, isy made effective to govern automatically thelongitudinal bodily movement of the gassing instrumentalitylongitudinally of the filamentous sheet, for purposes to be explained.

The gassz'ng instrumentality.-Broadly speaking this instrumentalitycomprehends a suitable gassing burner, a carriage upon which it ismounted and which travels upon the track, and a device to shield theburner when the gassing action is to be arrested, it being understoodthat the component yarns or threads of the filamentous sheet are gassedsimultaneously as the sheet is caused -to travel longitudinally withinoperative range of the gassing flame provided by the burner.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 5 the burner is shown as a series ofelongated tubes or pipes 44, three beingillustrated,connected at theiropposite ends by suitable headers 45 and of sumcient length `to extendhorizontally from edge to edge of the sheet T and beneath the same, eachtube, which is in itself a burner, having a fine longitudinal slit 46 inits top, preferably covered by a strip 47 of wire gauze held in place byparallel metal ribs or strips 48, the latter in a measure also definingand preventing spreading of the flame when the gas issuing through slit45 is ignited, the Vgauze giving a uniform flame throughout the lengt-hof the burner.

The number of burner members, and their precise construction, may bevaried or modi'- fied in different details without departing from thespirit and scope of my invention, as herein but one very practical andefiicient form of burner is shown and described.

Suit-able T-couplings 49 fixed on the two outer burner tubes 44 havedepending therefrom tapped plugs 50 to receive threaded legs 5l, shownas bifurcated at their lower ends, Fig. 4, to receive each a flangedtruckwheel 52, the truck-wheels and their connected sustaining legsconstituting a burner carriage, a pair of the wheels 52 traveling from asuitable source of supply, to be referred to hereinafter, and thenormal, operative position of the gassing instrumentality is shown inFigs. l and 2, so that the naked names of the burner will act upon thesheet of yarns or threads near the inner reed b, and they will be gassedas the travel of the sheet draws the yarns or threads through the flame.Thus all of the component filaments of the sheet T will be gassedsimultaneously, uniformly and rapidly, many hundred ends being gassed ina relatively small space.

lWhen travel of the filamentous sheet is arrested the track is caused todescend, as has been described, thereby moving the gassinginstrumentality away from such sheet burned. To insure absolute safety Ialso shield the burner members and throttle or reduce the supply of gas,as will appear, so that not only is the burner dropped away from thesheet but the gassing flame is reduced and a shield device is interposedloetween the reduced flame and the sheet. The gassing instrumentality isalso moved outward upon the track when travel of the filamentous sheetis arrested, and afterward moved inward when such travel is resumed, bycoupling temporarily the burner carriage and the actuator 22. Adepending support 54 conveniently made as a part of a T-coupling 55,Figs. 8 and l0, on the innermost one of the burner tubes la has securedto it o-pposite and preferably adjustable arms 56, 57 which constitute alatch-carrier, extended above the upper run of t-he actuator 22, seeFig. 2. The carrier arm 57 projects inward, or toward the reed Z), isdownturned at its end, at 58, and provided with a depending pivo-tedlatch 59 which can swing to the left, Fig. 5, but its opposite movementis stopped by the part 58. A similar latch 60 is mounted on the outerend of the carrier arm 56, adapted to swing to the right, Fig. 5,loutstopped from opposite movement by the downturned end 61 of arm 56. Inpractice ythese latches hang over and clear the plane in which the upperrun of the actuator' 22 travels, and the latch 59 cooperates at timeswith a projection 25 while at other times the latch 60 cooperates with aprojection 26, to temporarily couple or connect the actuator and theburner carriage.

Viewing Figs. l and 2, suppose travel of the filamentous sheet T isarrested. The track descends immediately, lowering the gassinginstrumentality, and simultaneously the travel of' the actuator 22 isreversed, so that its upper run moves oppositely to arrow 34, Fig. 2,and the straight face of the first projection 26 which engages latch 60will cause the burner carriage to move outward on the lowered trackuntil the stops engage the leading truck-wheels 52. Before suchengagement, however, the operating projection 26 will travel down aroundthe outer pulley 23 and releases the latch, the momentum of the carriagecompleting its outward movement, and as the actuator brings otherprojections 25, 26 against the inner latch 59 the latter is lifted,wiping over one projection after another without hindrance. The gassinginstrumentality is now at the outer end of its run, near the outer reedbx, and remains there as long as the filamentous sheet is at rest, at` apoint a considerable distance forward of the ungassed part of the sheet.If an attendant is running several of the machines the burner carriagemay remain at the outer end of its run for some time and to prevent anypossible damage to the yarns or threads above it I have provided a guardor shield 62, loeneath the sheet T, and supported on bracket-s 63, suchguard being made of asbestos or other suitable non-conductor of heat.When the treadle 5G is depressed to start up travel of the filamentoussheet, after correction of the fault which caused stoppage ofsuchtravel, the movement of the actuator 22 is reversed automatically,as will be remembered, so that its upper run travels in the direction ofarrow 34, Fig. 2, and at the same time the automatic rise of the trackreplaces the gassing instrumentality in 0perat-ive position. The firstprojection 25 whose straight face now engages the latch 59 will causethe burner carriage to move inward upon the track, to its normalposition near the inner reed ZJ, and during such inward run ofthecarriage the yarns .or threads will be subjected to the action of thegassing flame. Thus there cannot be any ungassed part of the sheet T dueto stoppage of its travel, for when gassing action is resumed at or nearthe outer run of the burner carriage it is at a point on the sheet whichhas been previously gassed, and

the flame begins its effective work just as soon as the ungassed portionof the sheet is reached, The run of the burner carriage is of sufficientlength. to insure such an overlapping action of the gassing flame,making all proper allowance for some slight travel of the sheet, afterpower is thrown oil", which may be due to the momentum of the movingparts of the sheet controlling mechanism. Release of the latch 59 andthe cooperating projection 25 is effected automatically as suchprojection travels around the inner pulley 23, the momentum of thecarriage taking it along until the inner stops 2l engage the thenleading truck-wheels 52.

When the carriage is in normal position, at the inner end of its run,the latch 60 wipes over the projections 25, 26 as they pass under it, aswill be apparent. As the track moves outward when it descends thetension sheave 30, Fig. 2, permits the sprocket-chain 27 to accommodatesuch movement, the spring 33 acting through the said sheave to take upthe slack when the track moves inward and upward to normal position. Oneof the headers 45 is provided at its inner end with a dependingextension 64, Figs. l and 4L, to which by suitable piping is connected amixer 65, having an air inlet at 66 controlled by a suitable adjustablecover 67. A. pipe G from a suitable source of gas supply, see Fig. l,andhaving a shut-0E valve g, is connected by a flexible conduit v68 witha valve case 69 attached to the mixer,

ering the burner carriage, the foot 71 is pressed against the stand 72and is thereby moved upward to partly close the controlling valve, thusthrottling the supply of gas for the burner, and the free end of tappet73 is swung upward, the proper throttling of the gas supply beingeifected before the foot 71 leaves the stand 72 on the out-ward run ofthe carriage. When the latter reaches the outer end of its run itcarries the upturned end of the tappet 73 beneath an overhanging detent76, Fig. 1, so that when the track and carriage are raised for theresumption of gassing the detent coperates with the tappet to rock it onthe lower end of link 75, thereby restoring the parts to the relativeposition shown in Fig. 4, and downward movement of the valve-stemopening the controlling valve to turn on the working supply of gas. Thusthe gas is throttled automatically when the gassing instrumentality ismoved away from the filamentous sheet, and it is turned on again,automatically, when said instrumentality is restored to operativeposition with relation to the sheet of yarns or threads.

The means for shielding the burner members, and for governing theshielding means, will now be described, special reference being had toFigs. 2, 3 and 5, as the shields have been omitted in Fig. 1, owing tothe small scale thereof. A plate 77, Fig. 5, is fixedly attached to the.lower parts of the burner tubes 44 adjacent each header 45, the platesbeing slotted at 78 to receive the shanks of bolts 79 which are attachedto oppositely bent struts 80, the tops of the struts being riveted tolight bars 81 which are thus held somewhat above the tops of the ribs48. As shown in Fig. 3 the two bars 81 are arranged in parallelism, atright angles to the burner tubes 44, and a series of burner shields 82are riveted securely to said bars, one for each burner member, eachshield being conveniently made of. sheet metal, and slightlyl curvedtransversely, as shown in Fig. 5, the bars 81 being correspondinglycurved to fit them. When the shields are retracted they expose theburner slits 46, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 5, so that the flamecan have full access to the yarns or threads as they travel over theshields, seeFig. 2,'but when the bars 81 and the connected shields aremoved to the right, Fig. 5, a distance equal to the length of slots 78the shields will extend over the burnery slits, and be interposedbetween the burners and the yarns a depending linger 83 having its lowerend, Y

outside one of the rails 5, bent back and then up at 84, as in Figs. 2and 5, it being understood that one of these fingers is located atY An Lshaped each side of the carriage. bracket 85, Fig. 2, is secured to theupper end of' each brace 13, the horizontal arms of said bracketsextending outward parallel to and above the track rails 5, and upon theextremity of each of such arms is attached a flat, resilient blade 86,twisted at right angles to itself at 87, Fig. 6, and terminating in adepending, bent cam foot 88, having a beveled outer edge 89.

When the gassing instrumentality is in normal position each cam footoverhangs and is beyond the upturned end 84 of the linger 83, as shownin Fig. 2, and when the track descends and the burner carriage movesoutward the cam foot and finger end 84 engage long enough to pull theconnected 1 shields 82 into operative position over the burners, afterwhich the cam foot yields and rides over and ofi' the said linger end.Thus the burners are shielded and the yarns or threads of the sheet Tprotected practically concurrently with the throttling of the gas supplyand the descent of the track and carriage, and the 'shields remainoperative until the carriage is raised and run inward.

To return the shields to inoperative position I attach retractingfingers 90 to the struts 80 of the shield-carrying device, one at eachside of the carriage, as shown, to cooperate with latches mounted on therails 5. Each latch comprises a shank 91, Figs. 2

and 11, bent laterally and then upturned at I its outer end, at 92, andVpivoted at 93 to the` outside face of the rail 5, a spring 94 holdingthe shank normally against a stop pin 95, Fig. 2, with the part 92 inthe path of the corresponding finger 90 when the carriage is run out.When the finger engages the latch part 92 it presses the said part down,the latch turning on its fulcrum 93, so that the finger can wipe pastand allow 'the carriage to complete its outward run, the spring 94 by anarm 96 fixedly attached to the latch, such depression of the shoedrawing down the upturned end 92 of the latch far enough to release thefinger' 90, the-spring 94 resetting the parts after the truck-wheelleaves the shoe. As the inward run of the carriage cont-inues the innervertical edges of the upturned nger-ends 84: will engage the bevelededges S9 of the cam feet 88, referred to hereinbefore, and will pressthe feet laterally` the resilient blades S6 being flexed to permit thelateral movement of the cam feet, and returning them to operativeposition shown in Fig. 2 as the finger-ends pass by.

No further detailed explanation of the operation of the apparatus willbe required, as the various operations, and the structures by which suchoperations are effected, have been explained in the body of thespecification.

rlhe apparatus herein shown and described is wholly automatic inoperation, and the piecing-up of ends and the starting up of theapparatus after stoppages, are the only manual actions required, so thatan attendant can run a number of the machines, each one stopping thegassing action automatically whenever the travel of the sheet of yarnsor threads is arrested.

Various changes or modifications may be made by those skilled in the artin different details of construction and arrangement Without departingfrom the spirit and scope of my invention as set forth in the claimsannexed hereto.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination, with means to effectlongitudinal movement of a series of yarns or threads in the form of asheet, of an instrumentality to act upon and gas simultaneously thecomponent yarns or threads of such sheet, a stop-motion for saidsheet-moving means, set in operationy by or through failure of an end,to arrest automatically travel of the sheet, and means actuated by thestop-motion to render inoperative the gassing instrumentality whentravel of the filamentous sheet is arrested.

2. The combination, with means to effect longitudinal movement of aseries of adjacent yarns or threads arranged in sheet form, of aninstrumentality to gas simultaneously the component yarns or threads ofsuch moving sheet, a stop motion for the sheet moving means, set inoperation by or through failure of an end, to arrest movement of thesheet, and means set into action by operation of the stop motion toeffect a bodily movement of the gassing instrumentality in the directionof travel of the sheet to a point beyond the end of the previouslygassed portion thereof.

3. The combination, with means to effect longitudinal movement of aseries of adj acent yarns or threads arranged in .sheet form, of agassing instrumentality movable longitudinally of and also toward andfrom such moving sheet, to gas simultaneously the component yarns orthreads thereof, means controlled and set in operation by the failure ofan end in the sheet to effect movement of the gassing instrumentalitybodily in the direction of travel of the sheet to a point beyond the endof the previously gassed portion thereof, and means also controlled andset in operation by failure of an end to effect movement of said gassinginstrumentality away from the filamentous sheet.

4f. The combination, with means to collect a series of individual yarnsor threads and arrange the same in the form of a sheet, and means toeffect longitudinal movement thereof, of a gassing instrumentality toact upon such traveling sheet from one to the other edge thereof, saidinstrumentality being movable toward and from the sheet and also in thedirection of its lengtl and mechanism set in motion by failure of an endin the sheet to render said gassing instrumentality inoperative, saidmechanism including an actuator to coperate intermittingly with and movesaid instrumentality in the direc tion of travel of the sheet, and meansacting simultaneously to move said gassing instrumentality away from thesheet.

5. The combination, with a plurality of widely separated combsor reedsto coperate with a series of yarns or threads in the form of a sheet,and means to effect longitudinal travel thereof, of a gassinginstrumentality normally positioned to gas the yarns or threads of thesheet at a point near one of the combs, means to stop the longitudinalmovement of the filamentous sh'eet, and mechanism governed by such meansto move the gassing instrumentality away from the sheet and in thedirection of movement thereof toward the second comb when travel of thesheet is stopped, said mechanism acting to return the gassinginstrumentality to normal position near the first comb when travel. ofthe sheet is resumed.

6. rfhe combination, with means to effect longitudinal travel of a sheetof yarns or threads, and a stop-motion for said means, set in operationby breakage of an end to thereby arrest travel of the sheet, of agassing instrumentality to act upon the yarns or threads simultaneouslyduring travel of the same, and means controlled by the stop-motion toeffect relative movement of the gassing instrumentality and thefilamentous sheet away from each other when travel of the sheet isstopped, said means acting to effect relative movement of the sheet andthe gassing instrumentality toward each other when travel of the sheetis resumed.

7. The combination, With a Warper, and an automatic stop-motion thereforto arrest longitudinal travel of a sheet of yarns or threads uponfailure of an end, of'a gassing instrumentality to-act simultaneouslyupon the component yarns or threads of the sheet during travel thereof,said instrumentality including a gas burner extended transversely of andadjacent the sheet, and means to throttle the gas supply automaticallyWhen travel of the sheet is arrested.

8. Mechanism to effect longitudinal travel of a series of yarns orthreads arranged in the form of a sheet, and means to stop saidmechanism upon failure of an end, combined With a gassinginstrumentality to act upon the filamentous sheet during travel thereofand movableA bodily into and out of operative position, saidinstrumentality including a burner extending transversely of andadjacent the sheet, and a burner shield, means to throttle the fuelsupply for the burner,

Y controlled and means to position the shield between the burner and thefilamentous sheet when travel of the sheet is arrested.

9. Mechanism to effect longitudinal travel of a series of yarns orthreads arranged in the form of a sheet, and means to stop saidmechanism upon failure of an end, combined with a gassinginstrumentality to act upon the filamentous sheet during travel thereofand movable bodily into and out of operative position, saidinstrumentality including' a burner extending transversely of andadjacent the sheet, a device rendered operative by or through movementof said instrumentality into inoperative position to throttle t-he fuelsupply for the burner, and a device to open the fuel supply of theburner by or through movement of the gassing instrumentality tooperative position.

'10. Mechanism to yeffect longitudinal travel of a series of yarns orthreads arranged in the form `of a sheet, and means to stop saidmechanism upon failure of an end, combined With a gassinginstrumentality to act upon the filamentous sheet duringv travel thereofand mo-vable bodily into and out of operative position, saidinstrumentality including a burner extending transversely of andadjacent the sheet, and a burner shield, and means acting upon movementof the gassing instrumentality to inoperative positio-n to interpose theshield between the burner and the filamentous sheet When travel thereofis arrested.

` 11. Mechanism to effect longitudinal travel of a series of yarns orthreads arranged in the form of a sheet, means rendered operative by orthrough failure of an end to stop said mechanism, and manually devicesacting through said means to start said mechanism, combined With agassing instrumentality to act upon the filamentous sheet during travelthereof, said instrumentality including a burner extended transverselyof and adjacent the sheet, and a burner shield, means to position theshield between they burner and theV filamentous sheet When travelthereof is arrested, and means to uncover the burner when travel of thesheet is resumed. Y

12. Means to effect longitudinal movement of a series of yarns orthreads in the form of a sheet, mechanism to govern the longitudinalmovement of the sheet and operating upon breakage of an end to arrestsuch movement, and a manually controlled member acting through saidmechanism to start longitudinal movement of the sheet, combined With aninstrumentality to Asubject simultaneously the component yarns orthreads of the sheet to the action of a gassing flame, and controllingdevices for such instrumentality, said devices operating respectively torender the gassing flame inactive when travel of the sheet is arrested,and to restore the flame to active operation When travel of such sheetis resume Y 13. rThe combination, With mechanism to effectlongitudinalmovement of a series of 4yarns or threads in the form of a sheet,

means to stop the longitudinal movement of the sheet, and a manuallycontrolled member acting through said means to start said mechanism, ofa gassing instrumentality to act upon the component yarns or threads,said instrumentality being movable longitudinally of the sheet, means,including an actuator moving in one directionV when the sheet is inmot-ion and in the opposite direction when the sheet is at rest, to movesaid gassing instrumentality beyond the ungassed portion of the sheet.When travel of the sheet f is arrested, and to returnV saidinstrumentality to normal position longitudinally of the sheet Whentravel thereof is resumed, and means to reverse the direction ofmovement of t-he actuator When'the movement of th sheet is stopped andstarted.

le. The combination, With mechanism to effect longitudinal movement of aseries of yarns or threads arranged in the form of a sheet, means tostop t-he longitudinal movement of the sheet, and a manually controlledmember acting through said means to start said mechanism, of a gassinginstrumentality to act upon the component yarns or threads, saidinstrumentality being movable toward and from the sheet and alsolongitudinally thereof, means, including an actuator moving' in onedirection When the sheet is in motion and in the opposite direction whenthe sheet is at rest, to move said gassing instrumentalitylongitudinally of the sheet beyond the ungassed portion When travel ofthe sheet is arrested and to return saidinstrumentality to normalposition longitudinally of the sheet when travel thereof is resumed,means to reverse the direction of movement of the actuator when themovement of the sheet is stopped and started, and mechanismto eEectmovement of the gassing instrumentality toward and from the filamentoussheet.

15. The combination, with mechanism to effect longitudinal movement of aseries of yarns or threads arranged in the form of a sheet, andmeans tostop travel of the sheet by or through breakage of' an end thereof, of amovabletrac'k below and parallel to the path of such sheet, a carriagemovable upon the track longitudinally of the filamentous sheet, agassing burner mounted on the carriage and adapted to gas the componentyarns or threads of the sheet, means to eect movement of the track, andthe burner carriage thereon, toward and from the filamentous sheet,movement of said carriage upon its track changing the position of thegassing burner with relation to the length of the filamentous sheet, andmeans to move the carriage upon said track.

16. The combination, with mechanism to effect longitudinal movement of aseries of yarns or threads arranged in the form of a sheet, of a gassingburner normally acting upon the yarns or threads at a certain point inthe path of the sheet, means operating when travel of the sheet isarrested to move automatically the burner ahead beyond the ungassedportion of the sheet, devices brought into operation by such movement ofthe burner to render the latter inoperative, and devices to renderoperative said burner when the burner is returned to its normalposition.

17. The combination, with mechanism to effect longitudinal movement ofa. series of yarns or threads arranged in the form of a sheet, of agassing burner normally acting upon the yarns or threads at a certainpoint in the path of the sheet and movable longit-udinally of suchsheet, mechanism to govern such movement of the burner and including amember to coperate temporarily with and advance the burner beyond theungassed portion when travel of the sheet is arrested and to coperatetemporarily with and return the burner to normal position when travel ofthe sheet is resumed, devices acting to rendei inoperative said burnerwhen it is advanced, and devices to render operative the burner upon itsreturn movement to normal position.

18. The combination, with mechanism to eEect longitudinal movement of asheet of' yarns or threads, and means to stop travel of the sheet by orthrough breakage of an end thereof, of a gassing burner and a carriageon which it is mounted, a track for the carriage below and parallel tothe path of movement of the filamentous sheet, means to lower the trackautomatically when travel of the sheet is arrested and thereby rendersaid burner inoperative, a device acting through said means to raiset-he track at will, and actuating means to effect outward movement oft-he carriage when the track is lowered, said means acting to effectreturn movement of the carriage after the track is raised, to obviateungassed portions in the filamentous sheet.

19. The combination, with mechanism to effect longitudinal movement of asheet of yarns or threads, and means to govern the operation of saidmechanism, of a gassing instrumentality to gas the component yarnsorthreads of the sheet, said instrumentality being movable bodilylongitudinally of the sheet, actuating means to effect such bodilymovement controlled by said governing means, .and including an endlessactuator moved in one direction when travel of the sheet is stopped andmoved in the opposite direction when travel of the sheet is resumed, andmeans to reverse automatically the direction of movement of the actuatorwhen travel of the sheet is stopped or started.

20. The combination, with mechanism to effect longitudinal movement of asheet of yarns or threads and a stop-motion therefor operated by orthrough failure of an end, of an instrumentality to act upon and gas theyarns or threads of the sheet, said instrumentality being movable bodilylongitudinally of the sheet, actuating means to efect such bodilymovement including an endless actuator moved in one direction whentravel of the sheet is started, to thereby move said gassinginstrumentality to abnormal position, and moved in the oppositedirection when travel of the sheetis resumed, to thereby return saidinstrumentality to abnormal position, and means to reverse automaticallythe direction of movement of the actuator by or through change fromrunning to stopping condition, or vice versa, of said stop-motion.

21. In apparatus for gassing yarn or thread, a gassing burner means tovary the distance between it and the yarns or threads to be gassed,means actuated automatically to throttle the gas supply when thedistance between the burner and the yarns or threads is increased, saidmeans being actuated reversely when such distance .is decreased, torestore the gas supply, and means, including a longitudinally movableactuator, to move the burner in the direction of travel of the yarns orthreads while .the gas supply is throttled.

22. In apparatus for gassing a traveling sheet of yarns or threads, aplurality of longitudinally-slitted burner-tubes, a carriage on whichthey are mounted, and a track for the carriage, combined with aplurality of shields movably mounted on the carriage and adapted tocover or uncover the burnerslits, means to effect outward movement ofithe burner flames when lsaid carriage is moved outward.

24. In apparatus for gassing a traveling sheet of yarns or threads, aplurality of connected, parallel and elongated burner-pipes to provideflames adapted to extend from edge to edge of the filamentous sheet, acarriage comprising truck-wheels and their supports, adjustablyconnected with the burnerpipes, a track for and upon which the carriageis movable in the direction of travel of the filamentous sheet,actuating means to effect movement of said carriage upon the track, agas-supply conduit connected with i the burner-pipes, and devicesadjacent the opposite ends of the track, to throttle automatically thegas flow when the carriage is moved outward and toincrease the flow whenreturn movement of said carriage begins, respectively.

25. In apparatus for gassing a traveling sheet of yarns or threads, aburner adjacent and extended transversely of such filamentous sheet, acarriage for the burner, a track upon which the carriage is movable inthe direction of travel of the sheet, oppositely acting latchesconnected with the carriage, actuating means for the lat-ter, includingan endless actuator having two sets of projections thereon, each setadapted to coperate temporarily with one of the latches and move thecarriage upon the track, devices to move the endless actuator in onedirection when the filamentous sheet is in motion, and

devices to effect a reversal in the movement of said actuator when thesheet is at rest,' combined with stops to limit travel of the;

carriage upon the track.

26. The combination, with mechanism to eect longitudinal travel of asheet of yarns or threads, governing means therefor, in-

cluding fast and loose pulleys, and a beltshipper moved manually tostarting position and moved automatically to stopping position-by orthrough failure of an end, of a gassing instrumentality movable towardand from the filamentous sheet and also longitudinally thereof, meanscontrolled by said governing means to move said instrumentality awayfrom such sheet when travel thereof is stopped, and to return it whentravel of the sheet is resumed, and actuating means, to effectintermittent longitudinal movement of said gassing instrumentality, saidactuating means including an endless belt, connections between it andthe fast pulley to move the belt in one direction when the fast pulleyis in motion, and other connections between the loose pulley and thebelt to move the latter in the opposite direction when the fast pulleyis at rest.

27. The combination, with mechanism to effect longitudinal travel of asheet of yarns or threads, an automatic stop-motion therefor, and amanually operated starting member, of a gassing instrumentality,including a burner extended transversely of the filamentous Vsheet andmovable bodily in the direction of travel thereof, means operative by orthrough action of the stop-motion to move the gassing instrumentalityaway from the path of travel of the sheet, actuation of the startingmember operating through said same means to move the gassinginstrumentality toward the filamentous sheet, an endless actuator, meansto. effect travel thereof oppositel to the direction of travel of thesheet when the latter is in motion, means to reverse the direction ofmovement of saidactuator when travel of the filamentous sheet isstopped,and coupling devices, the one acting to temporarily connect the gassinginstrumentality and said actuator upon actuation of the stop-motion, andthe other acting upon actuation of the starting member, to therebyeffect outward and return movement of said instrumentality,respectively.

I 28. The combination, with two separated reeds, and mechanism to effectlongitudinal travel of a series of yarns or threads in the form'of afiat sheet and a stop-motion to arrest travel of the sheet automaticallyupon breakage of an end, of a track below the reeds and parallel to thepath of movement of the sheet, a carriagemovable on said track andprovided with a burnerV to act upon and gas the yarns or threadsv at apoint near the first reed, and means acting through said track to raiseand lower said burner with relation to the path of movement of thesheet, at eitherend ofthe travel of the carriage upon the track, wherebythe gassing point may be changed between the reeds.

29. The combination, with mechanism, including two separated reeds, toeiect longitudinal travel of a series of yarns or threads in the form ofa flat sheet, of a gassing instrumentalityV bodily movable in thedirection of the length of the filamentous sheet, to vary the positionof the'gassing point with relation to the reeds, automati- Vcallyoperating means to render inoperative said instrumentality and moveit-toward the outer reed when travel of the sheet is arrested, and afixed non-conducting guard besheet when the gassing instrumentality isat rest near the said outer reed.

30. The combination, with mechanism, including two separated reeds, toeffect longitudinal travel of a series or' yarns or threads in the formof a flat sheet, and a stop-motion to arrest travel of the sheet automatically upon breakage of an end, of a gassing instrumentality belowand normally adjacent the sheet, to gas simultaneously the yarns orthreads thereof, normally at a point near the inner' reed, and means tolower and means to move said instrumentality outward toward the outerreed, when travel of the sheet is stopped, to thereby stop the gassingaction, subsequent starting of said mechanism acting through both ofsaid means to reverse the operation thereof and thereby, by one means,raise said instrumentality into gassing position near the outer reed andthen by the other of said means to move said instrumentality inward tonormal position near the inner reed, the yarns or threads beingsubjected to the action of the gassing instrumentality during the inwardmovement thereof.

3l. The combination with mechanism, including two separated reeds, toeffect longitudinal travel of a series of yarns or threads in the formof a fiat sheet, and a stop-motion to arrest travel of the sheetautomatically upon breakage of an end, of a gassing instrumentalityincluding a burner below the sheet and in continuous connection with agas-supply, a valve to regulate the flow of gas to the burner, and acarriage on which the burner is mounted, the normal position of thecarriage subjecting the component yarns or threads of the sheet to theaction of a gassing flame near the inner reed, an endless actuatorlocated below and substantially parallel to the path of movement of thefilamentous sheet, and moving normally opposite to travel of the latter,means to effect reverse movement of the actuator only when the sheet isat rest, separate devices to temporarily couple the carriage and theactuator whenever direction of movement of the latter is reversed, oneof said devices thereby acting to move said carriage toward the outerreed when travel of the sheet is stopped and the other of said devicesacting to eiiect return movement ofv the carriage when travel of thesheet is resumed, and devices successively coperating with the gascontrolling valve to partly close it when the carriage moves outward andto open said valve when the carriage moves inward.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specication, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN B. BOLTON.

Witnesses:

JOHN T. MERCER, F. M. ANDREW.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

